Rutgers Kicks 5 Players Off Team, Then Wins Its Opener

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Minutes before the start of its season-opening 63-13 victory against Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon, Rutgers announced the dismissals of five players. Two days earlier, they had been arrested and indefinitely suspended from the program after an investigation into separate cases by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Brunswick Police Department.

On Friday, Robert Barchi, the university president, released a statement saying the players were being placed on interim suspension from the university and were not allowed to enter the campus unless they were supervised. The players are cornerback Andre Boggs, cornerback Ruhann Peele, cornerback Nadir Barnwell, fullback Razohnn Gross and free safety Delon Stephenson.

Rutgers Coach Kyle Flood said he had read Barchi’s statement but had not spoken with him as of Saturday afternoon. Flood added that it was his decision to dismiss the players. Asked if he believed he had support from the university’s administration, Flood replied, “I do.”

Flood declined to comment on what he said was a continuing investigation, but he expressed disappointment with the players.

“As the head coach, what you try to do, and with over 100 players on your team, is you try to bring people into their lives to help them make good decisions,” he said. “When something like this happens, as the figurehead father of the program, it just rips you apart inside.”

Boggs, who had been expected to start, was charged with robbery, burglary while armed, conspiracy to commit an armed robbery and attempted burglary in what were described as home invasions on April 27 and May 5. During one of the reported robberies, the authorities said, Boggs and the former player Tejay Johnson stole approximately $900 and an undisclosed amount of marijuana from a student while they carried a bat and a knife. Johnson, a free safety and wide receiver, had been declared medically unable to play in July 2014 after sustaining several injuries.

Johnson, Peele, Barnwell, Gross, Stephenson and the former defensive tackle Daryl Stephenson were each charged with aggravated assault, riot and conspiracy to commit a riot in what the authorities described as an unprovoked attack in April. The Middlesex County prosecutor, Andrew Carey, and the New Brunswick police director, Anthony Caputo, said in a statement that the six men allegedly assaulted at least four other individuals on April 25 and left a 19-year-old student with a broken jaw. Daryl Stephenson, the older brother of Delon Stephenson, did not return this season despite having one year of eligibility remaining.

Flood reinstated Peele in late January after he had suspended him two months earlier because of allegations Peele had assaulted his girlfriend. The charges were later dropped.

In late August, Flood suspended Peele and four other players (receiver Leonte Carroo, punter Tim Gleeson, quarterback Chris Laviano and linebacker Kevin Marquez) for the first half of the season opener for breaking curfew.

After Saturday’s game, Flood was asked if he regretted reinstating Peele.

“I would say that I do,” he said.

Still, Flood defended his team.

“The people that know our program, the recruits that are committed to us right now in this current class, there is no perception issue with our program,” Flood said. “The people that know our program know the success we’ve had on the field. They know the success we’ve had in the classroom. They know the success we’ve had in the community.”

Flood’s status for Saturday was uncertain as Rutgers investigated claims that he had potentially violated an N.C.A.A. rule by contacting a faculty member regarding the academic status of a player. Although Flood coached the game, a Rutgers spokesman said that the investigation into Flood was continuing.

“The team loves Coach Flood,” Carroo said. “That’s our guy all the way. That’s our leader. That’s the guy that I have the most faith in, and that’s the guy that I want leading the football team this year. I wouldn’t want any other guy leading us this year, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I truly love Coach Flood.”

Hayden Rettig, a transfer from Louisiana State, started the game at quarterback and accounted for two touchdowns (one passing and one running), completed 9 of 11 passes and led Rutgers to a 21-13 halftime lead. Laviano then replaced him to begin the second half and threw three touchdowns, all to Carroo, who set the program-record for career touchdown receptions with 22. Rettig returned late in the second half with the Scarlet Knights ahead by 50 points. Flood said he did not know if Rettig or Laviano would start next Saturday at home against Washington State.

Carroo, one of four team captains, said he was surprised when he found out about the charges against his teammates. However, he supported Flood’s decision to dismiss the five players who were arrested.

“Those guys are great guys,” Carroo said. “Yeah, it was honestly shocking, but at the end of the day, I was just really focused on the game.”

He added: “I’m just disappointed in the fact that they couldn’t be here to celebrate this win with us today. It’s truly sad that they just couldn’t be here to have fun and do what we do as a team.”

A version of this article appears in print on , Section SP, Page 10 of the New York edition with the headline: Rutgers Kicks 5 Players Off Team, Then Wins Its Opener. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe